Strategic Management

Coursework Title / Brief: Propose the future Business Level Strategy for The Atholl Hotel, an independently owned hotel in Aberdeen

Coursework Aim

To enable the student to carry out critical analysis and evaluate future orientated plans for interacting with competitive environments from the perspective of tourism related organisations and destinations.

Students are encouraged to carry out secondary research into the operating environment in which The Atholl Hotel competes for business: at the location and business level. Consider for example external operating environment, by undertaking a scanning exercises. Draw upon secondary sources in an appraisal of this operating environment. Economic data is required, and information on how supply and demand for hotel accommodation has changed.

Presentation Format / Instructions

This assignment must be submitted in a word-processed report format and should be a concise piece of work, which must include:

· an executive summary,

· references

· and informed discussion based on the application of theory.

The guideline length is 4000 - 4500 words, the challenge being to sift and present relevant information concisely.

Prepare in advance:

1. Visit The Atholl hotel website, and that of competitors (need to identify).

1. Note down “external” factors that can influence hotel business in the area.

1. View the video of the case study hotel and the interview with the Managing Partner of the Atholl Hotel (provisionally arranged for September 2020).

Criteria for Assessment – Questions

1. Environmental scanning

a. Start by providing a brief SWOT of the business.

b. Draw upon environmental scanning tools considered in class, and your knowledge substantiated through the visit/seminar and your data collection to appraise the operating environment in which the hotel operates

c. Complete an 8-force (Porter’s Five Force, plus market size, market growth, and regulation) analysis of the Aberdeen city accommodation industry.

2. Identify the strategic options open to the Atholl Hotel.

3. Based on your “options” from Q.2, and looking to the future, provide your recommendation on which option to follow, with full justification.

4. Devise a mission statement for the hotel.

The University operates a Fit to Sit Policy which means that if you undertake an assessment then you are declaring yourself well enough to do so.

WORD COUNT

If the word count of an assessment is considered critical, then this will be reflected in the assessment criteria for that assessment.

Generally, the title page, executive summary (or abstract), contents page, lists of tables and figures, glossary (if required), reference list, bibliography (if required) and any appendices are not part of the word count.

Everything in the main body of text, including headings, sub-headings, citations and direct quotes, is included in the word count.

 

Anything you consider essential for your marker to read should be in the main body of text. Anything that is supplementary or supporting material should be in the appendices. Regarding tables in the main body of text:

· A table containing mainly numeric content would not be considered part of the word count.

· A table containing mainly text content would be considered part of the word count.